Santa Rosa-Petaluma receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Santa Rosa-Petaluma
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad
Opportunity
55 · Bottom 49%
vs61 · Top 40%
Growth
53 · Top 45%
vs42 · Bottom 36%
Climate
81 · Top 4%
vs84 · Top 3%
Physical resilience
19 · Bottom 9%
vs8 · Bottom 1%
Housing affordability
46 · Bottom 1%
vs44 · Bottom 1%
Access
62 · Bottom 25%
vs70 · Bottom 39%
Economic stability
82 · Top 12%
vs85 · Top 9%
Measured values
| Metric | Santa Rosa-Petaluma | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 485,040 | 3,288,774 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $104,674 | $106,268 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $56,640 | $51,976 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 308/sq mi | 781/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $815,500 | $854,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,158 | $2,246 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 62.6% | 54.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.2% | 4.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.8% | -1.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 38.5% | 43.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.9% | 10.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1,671 | 10,425 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.4 | 3.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 74.4% | -19.1% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 84°F | 89°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 38°F | 37°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 33.8" | 14.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 67 mi | 55 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.9 min | 27.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 42.9 | 37.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Santa Rosa-Petaluma
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, earthquake.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Santa Rosa-Petaluma
57
Your Score
52
Area Score
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad
56
Your Score
50
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA Metro Area · San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology